About
What is Youth for the Future of Ukraine?
Youth for the Future of Ukraine is a seven-month programme for young leaders and activists from small towns and rural communities—people who are rarely invited to take part in national discussions, yet whose voices are essential for Ukraine’s reconstruction.
The programme brings together 16 youth teams from across Ukraine, including youth activists, humanities students, members of Orthodox communities, and young people who have experienced displacement, loss, the hardships of war, and resilience. Together, they generate ideas and work for the common good.
Over the course of seven months, participants learn how to facilitate dialogue, work with trauma, develop community projects, and produce media content. At the end of the programme, they present concrete initiatives in their own communities and jointly publish the document “The Future of Ukraine We Want to Build.”
Project Goals
Changing the paradigm – shifting the focus from differences and traumatic memories toward shared values and a common responsibility for Ukraine’s future.
Cultural healing – overcoming the mentality of the “competition of victims” by fostering a culture of co-creation, mutual trust, and shared responsibility for rebuilding a just and dignified state.
Diversity as a resource – promoting a new model of cooperation in which religious, social, and ideological differences become a source of renewal rather than division.
Youth participation in reconstruction – strengthening the leading and inclusive role of young people in decision-making processes at every level of Ukraine’s post-war recovery and recognizing their innovative potential as a key national resource.
Depoliticising the church question – engaging young people from different Orthodox jurisdictions (UOC and OCU) in a shared reflection on the concept of the common good and the role of religious communities in overcoming the consequences of war.
Strengthening democratic dialogue – reducing distrust between different social groups and between civil society and public institutions through sustained dialogue.
Creating lasting impact – establishing an institutional legacy through a methodological handbook, a network of experts, media products, and youth networks that will continue promoting dialogue and social cohesion beyond the project itself.
Project Activities
What does the project do?
Through forums, mentoring, webinars, and community dialogues, 16 youth teams develop practical project ideas in their own communities and present them publicly.
What will participants learn?
Participants receive practical training in dialogue facilitation, media literacy, trauma-informed approaches, and community leadership. This is not just theory—it is hands-on experience applied directly in their own towns and villages.
What will young people gain?
- A nationwide network of peers.
- Support from mentors and leading experts.
- Practical skills that will remain valuable throughout their lives.
- Confidence that their voice matters.
What will Ukraine gain?
A generation that builds rather than waits.
The project will also produce the collective document “The Future of Ukraine We Want to Build”—a vision created by young people for Ukrainian society.
Project Timeline
- May 2026 – Project launch: team formation and preparatory phase.
- June – First Scientific and Practical Conference and the First Youth Forum.
- July – Thematic webinars and presentations of local project initiatives.
- July–August – School of Social Cohesion (online and offline).
- August – School of Journalism and the Second Youth Forum.
- September–October – Community dialogues, public discussions, and media projects.
- November – Regional presentation forums in four Ukrainian cities.
- December – Final Forum in Kyiv, award ceremony, and publication of the document “The Future of Ukraine We Want to Build.”